Location and business climate both played a role in a Scottish firm selecting Hall County as the home of its North American headquarters.

Gas Measurement Instruments Ltd., a company based in Renfrewshire, Scotland, recently announced that it will open an office on Interstate Ridge Drive in Gainesville in March.

According to company officials, a number of factors were considered when selecting the location, including finding an area “with a sense of place and quality of life to attract and retain the best talent.”

“The ability to move people and products through Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport was certainly important, but just as important is the need for a business-friendly environment,” said France Clouatre, GMI USA office manager. “This region is a location that will allow us to grow and meet our goals and objectives.”

Although the initial employment impact of the office will be minimal, local officials are still pleased by the selection.

“Initially, they are planning this to be the headquarters for sales and technical services, so they will probably start somewhere in the neighborhood of two to four employees, but if they add the calibration component, they may bring in more people,” said Tim Evans, Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce vice president of economic development. “They are looking to triple their sales — that’s really exciting growth. We look forward to welcoming them to the community.”

GMI manufactures and distributes gas detecting instruments for the oil, gas, chemical, defense and shipping industries.

Company officials said the Gainesville location is a key component in a plan to broaden product availability in Canada, United States and Mexico.

“Our five-year strategy is built around aggressive growth. We want to make GMI one of the world’s leading providers of detection equipment to the gas distribution and shipping market,” GMI Chief Financial Officer David Hunter said. “To achieve this, we will be opening new geographic markets, developing innovative and cutting-edge technology and further developing the skills of our employees.”

GMI is the second international company to announce plans to open an office in Hall County this month. On Feb. 3, Japanese company The Yazaki Corp. selected Gainesville as the location of its North American branch.